Church members gathered Sept. 3 to pray around flood victim Carlos Ochoa during Sunday service in the parking lot of the First Baptist Church in Humble, Texas. The church building was flooded with two feet of water from Hurricane Harvey. Charlie RiedelAssociated Press

Church members gathered Sept. 3 to pray around flood victim Carlos Ochoa during Sunday service in the parking lot of the First Baptist Church in Humble, Texas. The church building was flooded with two feet of water from Hurricane Harvey. Charlie RiedelAssociated Press

Hurricanes punish us for gay rights? Who decided that?

In the last few years, many evangelical preachers have blamed all the disasters and tragedies America has endured on the toleration of the sin of homosexuality.

Franklin Graham, Jerry Falwell Jr., Pat Robertson, Mike Huckabee and now Ken Hamm of Answers in Genesis and the Ark Park state without reservation that disasters like Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma are God’s punishment for homosexuality.

Implicit with their accusations is the belief that the sin of homosexuality is the determining factor that God uses to mete out Biblical punishment. Let’s assume that they are correct and look at the sins that are irrelevant in God’s decision.

In the United States, 44 people are murdered every day. The God these men worship does not care about these murders even though they violate the Sixth Commandment.

Two hundred twenty one people are raped every day in America. The God these men worship does not care about these rape victims.

Every day in the U.S., 121 people, including 21 veterans, commit suicide. The God these men worship does not care about these victims.

Nearly 14,000 elderly people are abused every day in America, two thirds of whom are abused by their children. The God these men worship does not care about their suffering even though the abusers are ignoring the Fifth Commandment to honor your mother and father.

On any day, over 2,000 couples file for divorce. The God these men worship does not care about the dissolutions of their marriages even though Jesus railed against divorce many times.

At least 22 percent of married men and 14 percent of married women admit to having adulterous affairs. The God these men worship does not care that they violated the Seventh Commandment barring adultery.

Every day, 46 children are maimed or killed by firearms in America. The God these men worship does not care that their young lives are injured or ended prematurely.

Every day, 178 people die from drug overdoses every day in America. The God these men worship does not care about their tortured lives.

Thirteen million children face food insecurity on a daily basis. The God these men worship does not care about their hunger.

Over 600 teenage girls will give birth every day in America. The God these men worship does not care that their lives are irreparably damaged.

Nearly 900 people are assaulted every day in America. The God these men worship does not care about these victims.

The male workforce in the country has been reduced by 20 percent due to opiate addiction. The God these men worship does not care about their wasted lives.

On any given night, there are 1.3 million children living unsupervised on the streets. The God these men worship does not care about these homeless children.

Over 3,000 young people start smoking every day in America. The God these men worship does not care that these kids are ruining their health.

I cannot pretend to understand why the religious right-wing Bible thumpers are so fixated on homosexuality as a sin, especially since it did not make God’s Top Ten Commandments.

Perhaps if these “men of God” actually read the Bible, they would be familiar with the story of Job and his presumptuous friends who argued that he was enduring horrific ordeals because he had committed some grievous sin that had offended God.

We are told in Job 42:7 that God was more than a little irritated with these upstarts who foolishly thought they knew God’s motives for doing anything.

In short: Don’t tell God how to do his job. That is above your pay grade.

Roger Guffey of Lexington teaches math and Sunday School. Reach him at rlguffey1@insightbb.com.

Roger Guffey

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